COVID-19 Illinois: IL reports 1,076 new cases, 30 additional deaths, added to other states' quarantine list

New York, New Jersey and Conn. to require Ill. travelers to self-quarantine

ByLiz Nagy and ABC 7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Illinois reports more than 1K new COVID-19 cases Tuesday
As Chicago places a travel quarantine order on Wisconsin and Lake County contact tracers linekd a high school outbreak to July 4th social gatherings, Illinois reported more than 1K new COVID-19 cases Tuesday.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois has reported 1,076 new COVID-19 cases and 30 additional deaths Tuesday , the Illinois Department of Public Health announced Monday.

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced that the state's total confirmed COVID-19 cases has reached 173,731, including 7,446 deaths.

In the last 24 hours, health officials said that they conducted a total of 28,331 tests. The preliminary seven-day positivity rate for July-21 to July 27 stands at 3.8%.

- Champaign County - 1 male 70s

- Coles County: 1 female 30s, 1 female 40s, 1 female 80s

- Cook County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 50s, 2 male 50s, 2 females 60s, 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s, 3 males 80s, 3 females 90s, 1 male 90s

- DeKalb County: 1 male 80s

- Douglas County: 1 female 60s

- DuPage County: 1 male 80s

- Iroquois County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s

- Montgomery County: 2 males 80s

- St. Clair County: 1 male 60s

- Williamson County: 1 male 70s

- Winnebago County: 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s

As of Monday night, officials said 1,383 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, with 329 patients in the ICU and 128 patients on ventilators.

The overall 7-day positivity rate for Illinois is 3.8%, but CHicago's collar counties are all reporting positivity rates of over 5%, wihile the city stands at 4.5%.

The move comes as the states of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have added Illinois to its quarantine list. Travelers from Illinois to those states are now required to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Chicago Tuesday expanded its own traveler quarantine list, now requiring anyone traveling to or visiting from Wisconsin, Missouri, Nebraska and North Dakota to self-quarantine for 14 days upon return to or arrival in the city.

Wisconsin, 3 other states added to Chicago travel quarantine list

Seasonal business owners in Wisconsin are especially concerned about losing their yearly revenue, which largely comes from tourists visiting from the Chicago area. It's a cost Chicago health officials say Wisconsonites ought to consider to reign in the spread of COVID-19.

"The state of Wisconsin has not even put a mask requirement in place," said Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady. "And there's not a sign that says they are turning their outbreak around. And there is significant risk."

And for those travelers seeking to try and duck a quarantine, Chicago health officials are now keeping a close eye on social media posts for violators.

Meanwhile, in Lake County, officials have traced an outbreak first discovered at Lake Zurich High School to multiple social gatherings around the Fourth of July.

There are now 73 confirmed positive cases in the outbreak, health officials said, more than half of them from Lake Zurich High School.

Lake Zurich High School COVID-19 outbreak traced to July 4th parties, health officials say

"I understand it's hard for the kids, but I feel like there's a limit and the parents talk to them and they need to be sort of protecting themselves in public," said Angie Ye.

The outbreak derailed a high school summer sports camp, but Little Leagues are playing on, some more cautiously than others.

"You can see I'm wearing a mask, my son wears a mask any time he is in the dugout and near people," said Matthew Niemiec, Lake Zurich dad and teacher.

"I have a lot of friends that are going to the park still, and not wearing masks, and not social distancing at all," Ayden Niemiec said.